What does 'Hashem's Countenance' mean?

Question

What is countenance/פָּנָ֛יו? Face? Something more specific? What is the nimshal?

Always wondered. Thanks.

Apparently I need more words to post the question so, happy Purim everyone!

Answer 1

There are several options:

Appearance

Rashi writes (1 Sam. 16:7) that countenance מראהו, as the posuk writes, means "appearance".

The same appears in the Midrash Rabbah (Vayikra Rabbah 1:1):

אִישׁ [ה]אֱלֹהִים בָּא אֵלַי וּמַרְאֵהוּ כְּמַרְאֵה מַלְאַךְ הָאֱלֹהִים

The Targum on Bereishis 4:6 says it means features of the face.

And the L-rd said to Kain, Why hast thou anger, and why are the features of thy face downcast?

According to the Rabbeinu Yonah on Avos 1:15, it means:

"and receive every person with a pleasant countenance": That he show them a happy face, so that 'the spirit of creations find pleasure from him.'

Grace/kindness/glory?

The posuk in Bamidbar 6:25 says:

May Adonoy cause His countenance to shine upon you and favor you.

Rashi explains that this means that "He will show you a cordial face, a shining face.". According to the Or HaChaim, this means that there is no seperation between Hashem and the Jewish People. This connects to the idea that the Ibn Ezra gives us. He writes:

It means may G-d make his face to shine upon you when you ask something of Him and at the time that you make the request.

So, the idea can be that when Hashem causes His countenance to shine upon us, G-d may immediately fulfill the request.

The Kedushas Levi says something interesting. He asks the question:

how is ‎it possible for a mere creature, a human being to entertain ‎feelings of pride or glory when facing his Creator?‎

He answers this by saying:

By contrast, our verse confirms that G’d Himself bestowed ‎glory on His people Israel. He did so in order that they find grace ‎in His eyes.‎

G-d bestows glory on the Jewish People, this is what countenance can also means.

Chassidus (Chabad)

According to Chabad-Chassidus, the countenance of Hashem can also mean that we are able to connect to G-d "face-to-face" so to speak.

This refers to the emanation of the Thirteen Attributes of Mercy in a manner that allows them to be received “face to face”;19 i.e., the revelation of His inner will illuminates the source of the Jewish souls.

According to this, "the light of his countenance" is the light of G-ds infinity (Or Ein Sof) (see also the Maamar Basi Legani - 5711: Chapter 5)

According to the Alter Rebbe (Tanya, Likutei Amarim, chapter 22), the term countenance exemplifies:

the inner quality of the Supernal Will and true desire, in which G‑d delights to dispense life from the realm of holiness to everyone who is near to Him.

It is the supernal will of Hashem, it "is the source of life which animates all worlds."

Answer 2

One position of the commentators on the cohanic blessing you mentioned is that it means that Hashem will accept you favorably; when it says "יָאֵ֨ר יי פָּנָ֛יו אֵלֶ֖יךָ /Hashem will make his face shine upon thee" we can interpret it similarly to "Hashem will show you a smile" it of course does not mean literally, you can read the commentators here if youd like: https://www.sefaria.org/Numbers.6.25?lang=bi&with=Commentary%20ConnectionsList&lang2=en

Ibn Ezra: THE LORD MAKE HIS FACE SHINE UPON THEE. Its meaning is the same as In the light of the king’s countenance is life (Prov. 16:15). It means may God make his face to shine upon you when you ask something of Him and at the time that you make the request. May God accept you and may His will be to immediately fulfill your request.

Rashi: THE LORD MAKE HIS FACE SHINE UPON THEE — i.e. May He show thee a friendly (more lit., smiling) countenance — a beaming countenance.

There are other positions such as "This means that there should not be a "curtain" dividing between Israel and their Father in Heaven." (Ohr HaChaim) [I do not know what this means.]

Answer 3

The Rambam discusses this in the Guide of the Perplexed.

The Rambam held that Hashem does not need to give his attention to every leaf that falls from a tree, as he created the laws of nature to do that. The leaf may take a wandering route, but ultimately gravity will pull it down to its destination. Animals too, Hashem leaves to the laws of nature, but gives his attention to their species as a whole. Humans on the other hand have an option. We have the ability to do mitzvot, and by doing mitzvot Hashem turns his attention to us as individuals. This is what is meant when we say Hashem turns his face to us. Not that Hashem has a physical face, but he is giving us individual attention to make sure the chaotic laws of nature bring no harm to us. On the other hand, when we sin Hashem turns his face away from us and we are susceptible to random harm.

Guide of the perplexed 1:37 ו׳פנים׳ גם כן שם ההזהר וההשגחה ״לא תשא פני דל״, ״ונשוא פנים״, ״אשר לא ישא פנים״ – וזה הרבה. ולפי זה הענין גם כן נאמר: ״ישא יי פניו אליך וישם לך שלום״ – רצונו לומר: הלוות ההשגחה בנו. Another signification of the word is “attention and regard.” Comp. “Thou shalt not have regard (pene) to the poor (Lev. 20:15); “And a person receiving attention (panim)” (Isa. 3:3); Who does not show regard (panim),” etc. (Deut. 10:17, etc.). The word panim (face) has a similar signification in the blessing, “The Lord turn his face to thee” (i.e., The Lord let his providence accompany thee), “and give thee peace.”

Rambam's opinion of divine providence really builds throughout the book, but he overtly begins stating his opinion in Part 3, 17

Answer 4

Just to add a bit more :)….

The Chizkuni says in Bamidbar 6:25- יאר ה׳ פניו, means that the Kohen says the wish that G-d will grant the listeners life, as it says in Mishlei 16,15: באור פני מלך חיים, “in the light of the King’s face there is life.”

The Haemek davar (ibid)- Says that פניו refers to the Shechinah

Aderet Eliyahu (ibid) says- יאר ה' פניו אליך means to shine you the light within the Torah so that you don't only learn the peshat rather ויחנך that you should also be able to learn sod (the secrets/Kabbalistic side of the Torah).

Resheit Chochmah (https://www.sefaria.org/Numbers.6.25?lang=bi&with=Reshit%20Chokhmah&lang2=en)- that Hashem should enlighten you by giving you the reasons in the Torah and its details.

Answer 5

There is an amazing Chiddush recorded in Devarav LeYaacov by the Maggid of Mezritch about this.

The words of Chazal that "Hashem appeared to them as a young man at sea, and as an elderly man at Sinai" contradict the point in Devarim 4:15 that "you did not see any form a Chorev [i.e. Sinai]".

The chiddush is that this is not talking about how we saw Hashem, but how Hashem saw us. We can understand from the mashal of any loving father: His son's image engraves himself on His Father's mind, before Him always. The image the son engraves is a reflection of the son - if the son is young and immature, or if the son is wise and mature, so is the image of the son in the father's imagination.

When the son was engraved as a youth, but subsequently grows, the son will be enraved afresh, reflecting his newly earned maturity. Hashem, though, unlike a mortal father, will no longer retain even a fragment of a memory of the immature engraving - engraving so it was - of the son, because Hashem is able to "cleanse Himself of the filth of the daugthers of Zion" (see Rabbeinu Bachaye here - Hashem forgives without a memory of the sin, unlike a mortal king).

On this, the Maggid says:

נאמר בישראל ישא ה' פניו אליך ר"ל אותו הפנים שלהם החקוקים במחשבתו

For Israel, it is said, "Hashem will lift up His countenance upon you," i. the 'countenance' of Israel engraved in His Thought.